What Westside Recreation Centre does

Westside Recreation Centre is a community-owned recreation facility in southwest Calgary, Alberta, operated by the Westside Regional Recreation Society, a registered charity established in 2000. The 101-250 employee organization serves approximately 1.5 million visitors annually from a single 7-day-operating facility at 2000 69 Street SW, offering an aquatic park (wave pool, lap pool, lazy river, waterslide, hot tub, steam room), NHL-sized hockey arena, leisure ice rink, three gymnasiums, a 30,000+ sq ft fitness centre with 432m indoor track, four fitness studios (including a 25+ cycle studio), a 24-foot climbing wall, child development centre, outdoor leisure park, and skatepark. It also operates as the governing entity in its own right and co-tenants with Cascadia Therapeutics, Heartland Agency & Educational Services, and the Wise & Wright cafe.

The business model is direct-to-consumer and multi-stream. Revenue is generated through Basic and Plus annual memberships ($940-$1,450), monthly continuous passes ($88-$138 per month after first month), single drop-in admissions ($12-$41), facility rentals ($150-$500/hour), registered programs (swim lessons, fitness, preschool, day camps), child minding services, and birthday party packages ($180-$340). Plus members receive adult-only change rooms, assigned lockers, towel service, and complimentary InBody 570 body composition analysis. A 25% program discount for members and registration priority reinforce retention economics, while a fee assistance program extends access to lower-income Calgary households.

Technology is limited to third-party SaaS rather than proprietary systems: PerfectMind powers online booking and member accounts, SmartWaiver handles digital waivers, and SwimGen delivers swim-lesson report cards. A native iOS/Android app (Westside) launched in July 2026 gives members a digital ID for gate entry, schedules, and program registration. Marketing leans on Facebook, Instagram, email, Google AdWords remarketing, and youth volunteer programs. Governance sits with an elected Board of Directors chaired by Jeff Curran, with Vice Chair Cristie Sutherland and CEO Jan Bloemraad overseeing operations. No external ownership, acquisitions, or funding rounds are disclosed; capital inputs have come from City of Calgary and Province of Alberta contributions and ongoing charitable fundraising since inception.

Name

Westside Recreation Centre

Legal name

Westside Regional Recreation Society

Website

https://westsiderec.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Westside Recreation Centre is a Calgary community recreation facility — operated by the registered charity Westside Regional Recreation Society — serving 1.5 million annual visitors with aquatic, fitness, ice, climbing, and program offerings under one roof, monetized via memberships, drop-ins, rentals, and programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Recreation Services

NAICS

Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (713940), Amusement Parks and Arcades (7131), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Multi-Sport Complexes & Community Sports Parks (MPAKAEAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Aquatic Centers & Swimming Facilities (MPAKAEAF), Water Parks (Outdoor/Indoor, Wave Pools & Slides) (THAJAEAB)

Keywords

• Community recreation services
• Aquatic facility programs
• Fitness centre memberships
• Youth sports activities
• Facility rental services

Headquarters

HQ city

Calgary

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Annual Memberships: Annual memberships including Basic and Plus tiers. Basic provides facility access, 25% program discounts, and registration priority. Plus adds adult-only change rooms, assigned lockers, towel service, and complimentary InBody analysis. Add-on memberships available for dependants at discounted rates.
2. Monthly Continuous Pass: Month-to-month pass offering ongoing admission without annual commitment. First month higher ($138 adult, $105 senior/youth), then $88 and $55 per month respectively. Cancel anytime with 5-day notice.
3. Single Drop-in Admission: Per-visit admission fees ranging from $12 (youth/senior) to $41 (family). No in-and-out privileges. Children under 13 require adult supervision or completed orientation.
4. Registered Programs: Fee-based programs including swim lessons, day camps, fitness classes, preschool programs, and youth activities. Members receive 25% discount. GST applicable.
5. Child Minding Services: Hourly child minding in the Child Development Centre. Members pay $6.40-$6.80/hour; non-members pay $8.56-$9.08/hour. 10-hour and 25-hour passes available. Priority booking subscription also offered.
6. Facility Rentals: Hourly rentals for Hockey Arena ($150-$300), Leisure Ice ($500), Gymnasiums ($85-$125), and Climbing Wall ($220). Corporate events priced upon inquiry.
7. Birthday Party Packages: Two-hour and three-hour party packages ranging from $180-$340. Includes activity time and private party room with host. Additional children can be added for a fee.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Westside Recreation Centre operates a large multi-purpose indoor community recreation facility providing access to an Aquatic Park, Fitness Centre, Fitness Studios, Gymnasiums, Hockey Arena, Leisure Ice Arena, Climbing Wall, Child Development Centre, and outdoor Leisure Park. It sells annual memberships, monthly continuous passes, single drop-in admissions, registered programs (swim lessons, fitness classes, day camps), personal fitness training, child minding, birthday party packages, and facility rentals.

Product overview

Westside Recreation Centre is a comprehensive community recreation facility offering a broad portfolio of programs and services organized around facility access and registered activities. The core offerings include the Aquatic Park, multiple Gymnasiums, a 30,000 ft² Fitness Centre with running track, Fitness Studios (including cycle and Pilates), Leisure Ice Arena, Hockey Arena, Climbing Wall, Leisure Park, and Child Development Centre. These facilities are supported by membership programs (Annual Membership with Basic and Plus tiers, Monthly Continuous Pass), Personal Fitness Training, Birthday Party Packages, Day Camps, and Registered Programs (swim lessons, fitness classes, youth activities). A mobile app launched in 2026 provides digital access for members. Fee assistance programs support accessibility. The organization is managed by Westside Regional Recreation Society.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 1.5 million visitors annually
• +3 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• City of CalgarycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2000Capital contribution from the City of Calgary was instrumental in building Westside Recreation Centre in 2000. The City continued to support the 2010 expansion. Westside operates as a community recreation facility under municipal support.
• Province of AlbertacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2000Capital contributions from the Province of Alberta supported both the original construction in 2000 and the 2010 expansion of Westside Recreation Centre.
• Westside Regional Recreation SocietycoreOthers · 1 January 2000The registered charitable society that manages and maintains Westside Recreation Centre. Society membership is available to individuals 18+ who support the organization's objectives and reside within Westside's boundary area. Holds annual general meeting on the fourth Thursday of November.
• Cascadia TherapeuticsminorOthersRegistered Massage Therapist Keith W. Morrison operates Cascadia Therapeutics as a tenant within Westside Recreation Centre.
• Heartland Agency & Educational ServicesminorOthersEducational services organization operating as a tenant within Westside Recreation Centre.
• Wise & WrightminorOthersFast casual health food concept cafe operating as a tenant within Westside Recreation Centre.
• FacebookminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFacebook used in conjunction with Google platforms for remarketing and advertising to website visitors.
• Integrity CountsminorOthersThird-party whistleblower hotline service available 24/7 for reporting serious organizational concerns confidentially and anonymously. Operated by Integrity Counts (integritycounts.ca).

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Repsol Sport Centre: Calgary's other major multi-sport recreation complex, offering aquatics, ice, fitness, gymnasiums, and registered programs under a similar community-anchored model. Most directly comparable peer given shared Calgary market and overlapping facility mix.
• YMCA Calgary: Charitable community recreation organization operating multiple Calgary facilities with memberships, aquatics, fitness, child care, and day camps. Closely comparable mission, revenue model, and member demographics to Westside's.
• Southland Leisure Centre: City of Calgary-operated recreation facility offering wave pool, fitness centre, gymnasiums, and registered programs. Directly competes for the same Calgary households on a similar drop-in and membership pricing structure.
• JCC Calgary (Jewish Community Centre): Calgary community centre with fitness, aquatics, child minding, day camps, and family programming. Highly comparable membership-based, family-oriented recreational offering to Westside.

Broad incumbents

• GoodLife Fitness: Canada's largest fitness club chain, operating hundreds of locations including multiple Calgary sites. Competes for member share of wallet in the same adult fitness segment as Westside but as a multi-site for-profit operator.
• Crunch Fitness: Large North American fitness chain with multiple Calgary-area locations. Competes for value-oriented and mid-tier fitness members who might otherwise choose Westside's Basic membership tier.
• Planet Fitness: National low-cost fitness chain with a Calgary presence. Targets the budget-conscious drop-in and basic membership segment that overlaps with Westside's value tier.

Regional players

• Steve Nash Fitness World: Western Canadian fitness chain offering premium fitness, group exercise, and aquatics. Comparable as a regional fitness competitor, particularly for the adult/Plus membership segment in Calgary.

Emerging players

• Edge School: Calgary-based private school and athletic training centre with sport academies, fitness, and youth programming. Comparable on the youth sports and registered programs side of Westside's business.
• Calgary Climbing Centre: Specialty indoor climbing facility in Calgary with routes and instruction. Competes directly with Westside's 24-foot climbing wall for the dedicated climbing enthusiast segment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/westside-recreation-centre-160950943978823
• Instagraminstagram.com/westsidereccentre
• Xx.com/westsiderec

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Westside Recreation Centre